Dear List,
Whether you are a library or a distributor you NEED to know that this
technology is no longer 'magic'. You can digitize, host and stream video
over the net with OUT OF THE BOX TOOLS from Microsoft, Apple, even open
source. My small company streams several millions of previews every month.
Our hardened, redundant, high capacity infrastructure would only cost 100
grand to build now. While we do have huge bandwidth expenses...you don't
need anything like that for educational content or even (unfortunately) Indy
films and docs. Please do your research carefully before
buying/renting/leasing/hiring this kind of service. The Internet Archive
will even do it for free if you are willing to share the material.

Please don't mistake this as claim that you do or don't or should have the
rights...I have too much work to do today to get into that case by case
discussion.

Jed

NOTE: We do not provide this service and are not a competitor.
-----Original Message-----
From: videolib-bounces@library.berkeley.edu
[mailto:videolib-bounces@library.berkeley.edu]On Behalf Of Gary Handman
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 7:31 PM
To: videolib@library.berkeley.edu
Subject: Re: [Videolib] Video Furnace Service/Technology

We've recently talked to these guys. The system they're pitching to do it
yourself is very interesting but costy (over 60 grand)

Apparently UCLA, Northwestern, and Dartmouth are doing something with the
system. You might contact them.

Gary

03:35 PM 2/2/2005 -0700, you wrote:

All,

Do any of you know about this company and their service of digitizing
and serving streaming video through an intranet? I spoke with a
representative the other day, and it sounded very promising. However, the
only legal use I can think of would be for TEACH act purposes (things put on
reserve or streamed for distance learning), and, in some cases, in class (I
can't recall if it is legal to move something from analog to digital for
using in class. It is ok to do this for TEACH act as long as it is not
piracy protected). He said that Northwestern, Dartmouth and UCLA were all
implementing. I am just wondering if anyone knows about this company or how
libraries might be using this kind of service. It seems that for much of
what we offer (students viewing films for research, but not necessarily
conforming with TEACH act guidelines) would not allow for this kind of
digitization. Do others share this reasoning? (I have written to
Northwestern and Dartmouth separately to ask them what their intended use
is).

Here is what the company says it does:

Some of the key features of our technology, particularly for library
usage, include:
a.. High quality, MPEG 1,2, or 4 standard encoding, to avoid "digital
rust" due to proprietary encoding schemes.
b.. Secure, encrypted streams with no caching on end-user machines, to
safely deliver video to end-users and prevent digital thievery of the
content.
c.. Complete conditional access controls on content viewing and
creation, so only authorized users are given access to the content.
d.. Complete meta-data indexing (currently following the Dublin Core
standard) for all assets, including a fully searchable indexed database of
assets.
e.. No end-user player installation necessary. Using a Windows, Mac,
or Linux machine, they simply click a portal page link (for instance, a link
in a CMS or electronic card catalogue page) to start watching their video
asset. No need to provide installation instructions or patching guidelines
or the like; instead they simply watch the video!

Here is an article on the company/technology, though it really doesn't
hit on the use of digitized video from the libraries collections (which is
what interests me).

Whether you are a library or a distributor you NEED to know =
that this=20
technology is no longer 'magic'. You can digitize, host and stream =
video=20
over the net with OUT OF THE BOX TOOLS from Microsoft, Apple, even open=20
source. My small company streams several millions of previews =
every=20
month. Our hardened, redundant, high capacity infrastructure would =
only=20
cost 100 grand to build now. While we do have huge =
bandwidth=20
expenses...you don't need anything like that for educational content or =
even=20
(unfortunately) Indy films and docs. Please do your research=20
carefully before buying/renting/leasing/hiring this kind of =
service. The=20
Internet Archive will even do it for free if you are willing =
to share=20
the material.

Please=20
don't mistake this as claim that you do or don't or should have the =
rights...I=20
have too much work to do today to get into that case by case=20
discussion.

We've recently talked to these=20
guys. The system they're pitching to do it yourself is very =
interesting=20
but costy (over 60 grand)

Apparently UCLA, Northwestern, and =
Dartmouth=20
are doing something with the system. You might contact=20
them.

Gary

03:35 PM 2/2/2005 -0700, you wrote:

All,=20

Do any of you know about this company and their service of =
digitizing=20
and serving streaming video through an intranet? I spoke with =
a=20
representative the other day, and it sounded very promising. =
However, the=20
only legal use I can think of would be for TEACH act purposes =
(things put on=20
reserve or streamed for distance learning), and, in some cases, in =
class (I=20
can't recall if it is legal to move something from analog to digital =
for=20
using in class. It is ok to do this for TEACH act as long as =
it is not=20
piracy protected). He said that Northwestern, Dartmouth and UCLA =
were all=20
implementing. I am just wondering if anyone knows about this =
company=20
or how libraries might be using this kind of service. It seems =
that=20
for much of what we offer (students viewing films for research, but =
not=20
necessarily conforming with TEACH act guidelines) would not allow =
for this=20
kind of digitization. Do others share this reasoning? (I have =
written=20
to Northwestern and Dartmouth separately to ask them what their =
intended use=20
is).

Here is what the company says it =
does:

Some of the=20
key features of our technology, particularly for library usage, =
include:=20

No end-user player installation necessary. Using a Windows, =
Mac, or=20
Linux machine, they simply click a portal page link (for instance, =
a link=20
in a CMS or electronic card catalogue page) to start watching =
their video=20
asset. No need to provide installation instructions or patching =
guidelines=20
or the like; instead they simply watch the video!

=

Here is an article on the company/technology, though it =
really=20
doesn't hit on the use of digitized video from the libraries =
collections=20
(which is what interests me).